Pre-Apprenticeships: A Pathway for Career Success in North Carolina

By Enmanuel Gomez Antolinez

Learning and upskilling can be a life-long pursuit in the dynamic, constantly changing U.S. economy. Educational opportunities for youth and young adults with disabilities (Y&YAD) should reflect this reality. But all too often, they encounter barriers to acquiring knowledge, learning new skills and accessing general workplace experience.

Apprenticeships are an important and rapidly expanding pathway for all individuals, including Y&YAD. In the 2021 fiscal year, more than 241,000 new apprentices entered the national apprenticeship system. However, research demonstrates apprenticeships are not always accessible to everyone since they may require certain skills or experiences to enter. Pre-apprenticeships are one pathway that prepares Y&YAD for apprenticeships and makes apprenticeships more accessible by providing work-based learning, academic knowledge and professional skills. Several states, including North Carolina, are developing pre-apprenticeships specifically for Y&YAD to support them in their path to apprenticeship and full-time employment.

According to the U.S Department of Labor “pre-apprenticeships are designed to prepare individuals for entry into Registered Apprenticeship Programs (RAP) or other job opportunities.” These programs can play a valuable role in initiating career pathways for anyone, including Y&YAD. Pre-apprenticeships are available in a range of industries including health care, information technology, manufacturing, hospitality and retail.

A notable resource for policymakers is Getting Started with Pre-Apprenticeship: Partnership’s Primer, which provides detailed information on pre-apprenticeships, partnerships, program development and funding.

As outlined in the primer, pre-apprenticeships benefit both states and Y&YAD because they:

  • Have the potential to increase annual earnings and employment of workers with disabilities.
  • Are designed to give people of color, women, Y&YAD and other underrepresented populations the skills, confidence and connections they need to be successful.
  • Provide an effective workforce development strategy that results in a net benefit to society and diversifies the talent pipeline of skilled workers.
  • Provide academic knowledge and skills training tailored to specific jobs and industries for participants who face barriers to employment.

The North Carolina Career Launch is an example of a state-supported pre-apprenticeship for Y&YAD. This program provides a series of curricula that give students opportunities to gain knowledge, experience and credentials that lead to jobs in high-demand fields and a living wage. One of the North Carolina Career Launch programs within the health care industry is the Pre-Nursing Careers Vocational Rehabilitation Youth Apprenticeship. This pre-apprenticeship program provides paid on-the-job learning to high school students with disabilities as well as employment and professional development skills and work and training preparation.

In order to successfully implement these programs and provide the right support and practical skills to students with disabilities, there must be a clear relationship with vocational rehabilitation offices to pilot the program, as well as register the program statewide so it does not have to be replicated again. State agencies can collaborate to provide Y&YAD with pre-apprenticeship opportunities like the one in North Carolina.

Diverse pre-apprenticeships have the potential to support Y&YAD to access a career path that offers living wages and benefits. These jobs are an opportunity to prepare and support students for success and ensure they are prepared to be successful in their apprenticeship.

For more information about pre-apprenticeships, please visit: https://www.apprenticeship.gov/help/what-pre-apprenticeship

Employment Transition Services for Youth and Young Adults with Disabilities: The Ohio College2Careers Program 

By Katherine Emerson, Roosevelt Fellow

Youth and young adults with disabilities are employed at lower rates than their peers without disabilities. College is one pathway that can help students with disabilities prepare for employment. Individuals with disabilities who complete some college or earn an associate’s or a bachelor’s degree are employed at higher rates than individuals who do not.  

However, fewer than 35% of students with disabilities graduate from four-year institutions within eight years. College students with disabilities could therefore benefit from additional supports and services to succeed in college and prepare for their careers. Ohio’s College2Careers program is a state initiative focused on providing supports to help students with disabilities succeed in college and beyond. 

Establishment and Funding 

College2Careers is a state-wide program that supports students with disabilities at colleges and universities in Ohio to help them complete their degree and/or credential, earn higher wages, and meet the demands of the labor market. The program was created and funded by Gov. Mike DeWine’s Executive Budget for fiscal year 2020-2021 through the Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD) agency as part of a larger effort to support Executive Order 2019-3D. The financial support is meant to expand employment opportunities for people with disabilities by providing personal assistance services, particularly for transitional youth, to “encourage and support individuals with disabilities to fully participate in the social and economic life of Ohio and engage in competitive integrated employment.” This formal mechanism established Ohio as a state as a model employer and prepared College2Careers is a state-wide program that places individuals in career pathways.  

The College2Careers program is operated by the Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD). Susan Pugh, deputy director of the Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation at OOD, explains that the Ohio College2Careers program achieves this by “embed[ding] a vocational rehabilitation counselor into the disability services or the career services” at participating colleges and universities. The program is currently offered at 17 campuses, two of which are the state’s only historically black colleges and universities. 

Program Components 

As of 2022, the College2Careers program serves approximately 1,500 college students and addresses the following topics through activities, workshops, help sessions and networking facilitated by a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor: 

Career exploration and counseling. Assistive technology. Resume and interview preparation. Internships and permanent employment placement. Assistance navigating OhioMeansJobs resources. 

Connection to an expansive employer partner network. On-the-job supports for permanent employment upon graduation. 

According to Marcia Ballinger, PhD and President of Lorain County Community College, the program “add[s] to the base of support already in place…and provide[s] the added targeted help [students with disabilities] need to finish a credential or degree that leads to meaningful employment.”  

Two career development specialists from OOD also work with the disability and career offices at participating institutions to facilitate the hiring of students with disabilities in internships and potential permanent placements. The vocational rehabilitation counselor at each college campus can obtain further resources to ensure the academic and vocational success of students. In the words of President of Central Ohio Technical College John M. Berry, PhD, “the OOD counselor we have on-site helps with everything from career counseling to placement services. She works with our students to make sure they are making progress toward their employment goals.”   

Other State Examples 

Ohio’s College2Careers program is just one example of a state initiative to better support college students with disabilities in their transitions to the workforce. 

California Assembly Bill 504 requires community colleges to develop student equity plans that must identify underrepresentation for specific categories of students (including those with disabilities) in access to, and completion of, basic skills, career technical education and workforce training. In Delaware, Supported Education at the Delaware Technical & Community College Program is a collaboration between the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation and Delaware Technical & Community College. The program supports students in their coursework while they also enroll in a certificate program or enter a skills training program and gain employment in an area of interest to the student. 

The Puerto Rico Vocational Rehabilitation Administration places counselors in the facilities of the Río Piedras and Mayagüez campuses of the University of Puerto Rico to provide services to eligible students. 

As illustrated in these examples, states can take various approaches to supporting college students with disabilities. Ohio and Puerto Rico have taken the approach of placing counselors at colleges and universities to support students, whereas Delaware offers an intensive year-one program and California requires community colleges to assess and improve equity. Localized vocational supports, such as those in Ohio, Delaware, and Puerto Rico, work with students directly to place them on career pathways. These approaches are personalized and utilize connections between students, vocational rehabilitation staff and businesses. Policy changes such as the legislation enacted in California allow for broader changes to college climates and practices. 

The Farm Bill Title I: Commodities

Aja Croteau

The Farm Bill Title I: Commodities

The Federal Farm Bill is developed and enacted into law roughly every five years. This bill establishes U.S. agricultural policy and is divided by topic into 12 titles. Title I of the bill covers commodities and assistance programs for the farmers that grow them. Added to the bill in 2014, the title sets “effective reference prices” for major commodity crops such as corn, soybeans and wheat. These reference prices are designed to respond to the movement of market prices for crops and provide the basis for two federal programs—Price Loss Coverage and Agriculture Risk Coverage-County—which are sources of additional income for producers to offset declines in crop prices or revenue. Each commodity crop has its own set effective reference price, which is set based on the average of previous prices for each commodity or the reference price in the 2014 Farm Bill.

Title I also includes the Market Assistance Loan Program, which provides loans to producers at a statutorily fixed rate and allows them to use eligible commodity crops as collateral. Assistance programs like these have existed in various forms since the 1930s and provide much needed income stability to producers across the U.S.

Title 1 also includes provisions around sugar, dairy and disaster assistance programs for commodities not eligible for crop insurance.

Why it matters….

Title I covers programs administrated at the federal level, but its contents can have a significant impact on producers across states. The stability of agricultural operations is a key component in state economies, especially for states like California, Iowa and others that lead the country in agricultural production. These programs are crucial to midwestern states that are major producers of food. In 2021, midwestern states had 155,000,000 enrolled base acres across both the Price Loss Coverage and Agriculture Risk Coverage-County programs.[1] Base acres are defined as the crop-specific acreage on a farm that are eligible for enrollment in these assistance programs. Full eligibility requirements can be found on the USDA Farm Service Agency website.

Commodity prices have been strong recently, but producers across the globe are facing drastically increased production costs for necessities like fertilizer, machinery and labor. Some of these costs may decrease in the future, but there is a possibility of commodity prices shifting first, given their variable nature. Supply and demand for commodity crops can change quickly and are influenced by a multitude of factors including consumer behavior, international trade disputes, extreme weather and the markets for related industries. For example, a spike in fossil fuel costs can cause the demand for corn to increase drastically due to an increased demand for ethanol, which is produced from corn. A steep decline in commodity prices can impact overall farm revenues, which can increase farmers’ reliance on these assistance programs to survive. Staying up to date on the programs covered by this title can be invaluable to estimating the impact of shifting commodity prices on a state’s agricultural economy.

What changes can we expect to see in the next Farm Bill?

As with each iteration of the farm bill, the statutory reference prices for commodities will be reviewed and may be adjusted if Congress determines it necessary. Changes may also occur to the assistance programs as Congress accounts for climate change and the severe weather patterns that come with it. These patterns can significantly impact agricultural production, as well as increase reliance on assistance programs, particularly those aimed at disaster relief. An increased focus on small farms and ranches may also come into play as the next farm bill is developed. Current House Agriculture Chairman David Scott has indicated this as a priority issue for him with his introduction of the Small Family Farmer and Rancher Relief Act earlier this year.[2] Supporting small businesses has long been a priority for Chairman Scott, and as Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, it is unsurprising to see this priority extend into farming.

Title I will impact communities in every state and affect farm policy decisions at the state level. The U.S. Senate and House encourage producers, consumers and other stakeholders to provide input by attending field hearings and submitting thoughts through their websites.

Senate Farm Bill Input Form

House Farm Bill Input Form

Resources

Farm Bill Primer: What is the Farm Bill? (Congressional Research Service, 6/28/2022)

Preparing for the Next Farm Bill (Congressional Research Service, 3/31/2022)

The National Agricultural Law Center

Title I: Crop Commodity Program Provisions After Enactment of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (USDA Economic Research Service, 9/7/2022)

Senate Hearings Schedule

House Hearings Schedule

ARC/PLC Definitions (USDA Farm Service Agency)

[1] https://www.fsa.usda.gov/programs-and-services/arcplc_program/arcplc-program-data/index

[2] https://agriculture.house.gov/uploadedfiles/h.r._8590.pdf

Increasing Early Childhood Education Training and Credentialing

By Andrew Johnson

Research shows that “investments in quality preschool programs bolster student success.” Preschool programs prepare students for success in elementary grades, specifically in areas such as literacy and math. A 2020 policy brief further outlines the impact of quality preschool programs, including positive generational gains, enhanced social and emotional learning skills and spillover effects to students who did not participate.

A recent study also shows that additional training for educators and caregivers further strengthens the impact of those learning experiences. State policymakers across the country are working to implement policies that expand and enhance training and credentialing opportunities for in-service and pre-service early childhood educators in a variety of ways. The study argues for sufficient funding for services and training for teachers and mentors.

Specific, Relevant Professional Development Training

Many state policies focus on specific instruction. For policymakers and educators, there is a major emphasis on improving literacy outcomes. Early childhood education is especially important, as it provides the foundation for future literacy development. As a result, policymakers are working to better equip early childhood education and child care practitioners in establishing a foundation of literacy.

  • Arizona and Delaware require specific literacy instruction in line with the science of reading.  
  • Connecticut directs the Department of Education Center for Literacy Research and Reading Success to develop a plan to improve reading, including research-based literacy training for providers of early child care and other instructors working with children under five.

Other states are adding specific literacy instruction to pre-service courses and programs for early childhood educators.

  • Kentucky requires pre-service early childhood teachers to receive training in reading instruction in phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency and vocabulary. The state further requires that pre-service teachers complete an assessment on reading instruction knowledge and skills. 
  • Minnesota and Oregon require pre-service teachers to receive instruction on dyslexia and reading difficulties generally.  

While most research does not specify the time requirements necessary to ensure high-quality professional development, some states are striving to ensure in-depth literacy training for early childhood educators.

  • Arizona requires either 45 classroom hours or three college credit hours of literacy training within three years of obtaining a teaching certificate.
  • Florida requires in-service pre-kindergarten teachers complete three emergent literacy training courses, then complete one course every five years.  

Numeracy—the practice of applying mathematic skills and ability—is a topic not commonly observed in pre-K training policies. However, Alabama established a task force to provide guidance for higher education institutions in training early childhood educators, based on current research in mathematics.

Another topic of emphasis is social-emotional learning. This is used to teach and practice interpersonal skills and self-awareness/regulation. Several states have enacted policies to support professional development training in social-emotional learning.

  • Colorado created the early childhood mental health consultation initiative to expand and enhance practices throughout the state.
  • Florida requires training in social-emotional behavior intervention models.
  • Maine makes available a voluntary early childhood consultation program to provide support, guidance and training to early childhood educators in social and emotional learning strategies.
  • Oklahoma provides trauma-informed care training to child care providers.

Funding Opportunities for Training

Many states are funding various opportunities to expand and enhance the training for early childhood educators. Some policies provide opportunities for professional development and credentialing training for early childhood educators.

  • Minnesota uses grant funds to provide economically disadvantaged individuals job skills training and other career assistance to help them obtain a Child Development Associate credential.
  • Utah uses available appropriations to provide scholarships to early childhood education teachers seeking a Child Development Associate credential.
  • Washington provides scholarships to underqualified staff to earn credentials or stackable certificates from state community and technical colleges.  

Other policies fund scholarship opportunities for students pursuing a degree in early childhood education. For example, Washington established a pipeline for paraeducators conditional scholarship program for non-certified teaching assistants without a college degree and recently expanded eligibility from requiring three years of experience to one, while giving more time to complete the degree.

States are also funding financial and career incentives for early childhood educators and child care workers who pursue further education and credentials.

  • California requires preschool/child development programs to have a career ladder that allows employees to increase their salary as they earn additional education.
  • Texas provides stipends for early childhood professionals seeking additional education. 
  • Washington’s child care collaborative task force incentivizes advancements in higher education credentials and other equivalencies (as well as experience and training) through increased compensation. The state’s Department of Education provides support for implementing trauma-informed training, including additional compensation for staff who have an infant and early childhood mental health or other specialty credential.

Coaching and Mentoring Provisions

Some states focus on teacher coaching/mentorship.

  • Colorado provides payments to child care providers to promote teachers to coaching and mentorship roles. 
  • Connecticut provides scholarships for early childhood educator training, including the training of mentor teachers. 
  • Washington, D.C. requires child development centers/homes to partner with child development hubs to create and implement a quality improvement plan, including aligning program policies and procedures to support on-site coaching and professional development.

While state policymakers are working to expand and enhance training and credentialing opportunities for early childhood educators, states are also implementing a variety of other policy measures to support early child care beyond supporting educators. As states continue to look for ways to support early childhood education, policymakers can compare methods across the states to support their own education workforce improvement policies. 

Oregon Combines General Funds and ARPA Funds to Support People with Disabilities: The Future Ready Oregon Initiative 

By Rachel Wright, Policy Analyst

The social and economic disruptions caused by the pandemic have highlighted significant disparities in how the workforce system serves marginalized groups such as people with disabilities, communities of color and people with low incomes. People with disabilities have remained engaged in the labor market throughout the pandemic and their labor force participation rate has not dropped appreciably. However, studies show that people with disabilities have experienced high percentages of employment changes and disruption (e.g., decreased pay, reduced work hours). 

As communities emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, access to skills training and postsecondary credentials will be critical to facilitating an inclusive recovery. Recognizing this, Oregon Governor Kate Brown convened the Workforce and Talent Development Board and the Racial Justice Council in 2021. The Workforce Workgroup – as the collaboration came to be known – sought to develop a proposal for the 2022 legislative session that advanced equitable and racially just economic opportunity and education recovery. 

The Future Ready Oregon Initiative – $200 Million in Workforce Investments 

The efforts of the Governor’s Workforce Workgroup culminated in the Future Ready Oregon Initiative (Senate Bill 1545). The initiative was approved by the legislature and signed into law in April of 2022. It includes $200 million in funding to support comprehensive workforce investments aimed at advancing an equitable workforce system that better serves people of color, people with disabilities, people with low incomes, rural Oregonians, and other underserved populations.  

The Future Ready Oregon initiative is funded through a combination of state and federal resources. State general funds were supplemented by American Rescue Plan Act dollars to expand existing successful workforce programs and create new, innovative workforce programs. Funded programs provide historically underserved groups with the education, training and resources they need to attain “family-wage careers.” The initiative includes people with disabilities among its listed priority groups. Provided below are programs funded by Future Ready Oregon that support people with disabilities. 

Local Workforce Boards – $37 Million for the Prosperity 10,000 Program 

Future Ready Oregon invests approximately $37 million in Oregon’s nine local workforce development boards to administer the Prosperity 10,000 Program. This program was established by House Bill 4104 (2022) and is intended to augment the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program’s (SNAP) Employment and Training program.  

The Prosperity 10,000 program is designed to serve at least 10,000 low-income job seekers most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, including Oregonians who receive SNAP or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. According to a 2020 survey conducted by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities adults with a disability were more than twice as likely to report difficulty paying for usual expenses (e.g., food, rent or medical bills) than adults without a disability. In addition, approximately 22% of SNAP recipients in Oregon are “non-elderly disabled” individuals. 

The Prosperity 10,000 program will provide qualifying individuals with career coaching, occupational training and job placement services. Further, the program seeks to ensure that historically underserved populations, including people with disabilities, successfully complete the program. To facilitate this, priority populations can receive:  

Wraparound supports and services that help facilitate reengagement with the workforce, including, but not limited to transportation, childcare and rental assistance. Paid work experiences, including stipends, wages and other supports. 

Targeted recruitment and engagement efforts. 

Grants to Local Workforce Development Boards – $10 Million for Benefits Navigators 

The Future Ready Oregon initiative sets aside $10 million in grants to be awarded to local workforce development boards for the placement of workforce benefits navigators in WorkSource Oregon centers and community-based organizations. WorkSource Oregon is a free, one-stop career center for people with disabilities, veterans and people who are unemployed. Workforce benefits navigators will help priority populations, including people with disabilities, access workforce programs and apply for benefits and services that are available under these programs.  

Workforce benefits navigators have already been placed at Oregon community colleges through House Bill 2835 (2021). Benefits navigators have helped students access SNAP food benefits, the SNAP employment and training program, housing assistance and other basic resources. According to Chemeketa Community College President Jessica Howard, workforce benefits navigators are a key strategy “to create an equitable recovery from the recent recession, particularly for Oregonians from rural, racially diverse, and economically challenged communities.” 

Oregon Colleges and Universities – $10 Million to “Scale Up” Credit for Prior Learning 

An additional $10 million in funds were allocated to scale up Credit for Prior Learning (CPL). CPL, as defined in Oregon House Bill 4059 (2012), refers to the “knowledge and skills gained through work and life experience…military training… and through formal and informal education and training from institutions of higher education.” The allocated funds are intended to scale up CPL by helping public institutions develop methods and refine processes for rewarding prior learning.  

CPL can be an important steppingstone toward a college degree for individuals with disabilities. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that approximately 70% of people with no disability complete some college or earn an associate degree compared to 21% of people with a disability. Awarding credit for prior learning experiences can help close this gap by providing additional avenues through which students can fulfill their degree requirements. 

Assessment and Accountability – $1.5 Million to Measure Impacts  

To gauge the impacts of these investments, Senate Bill 1545 provides $1.5 million for assessment and accountability activities. This funding is intended to enhance the capacity of the Higher Education Coordinating Commission to collect, integrate, analyze and report on key data. The Higher Education Coordinating Commission is tasked with reporting to the Oregon Workforce Talent Development Board, the legislature and the governor’s office on the state’s progress toward meeting key milestones and implementing plans for continuous improvement. 

As state and local economies recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, policy makers can address employment barriers experienced by people with disabilities through instituting inclusive workforce development policies and programs. A recent CSG report developed in collaboration with the State Exchange on Employment & Disability titled Facilitating a Safe and Inclusive Return to the Workplace: COVID-19 Policies and Guidance provides policymakers with policy considerations on this topic. For further resources and information on building a stronger, more inclusive workforce, please reach out to the disability employment policy team at CSG. 

U.S. Department of Labor Announces Rule to Increase Minimum Wage for Federal Contract Employees

By Abeer Sikder, Policy Analyst

On November 24, 2021, the U.S. Department of Labor published a final rule that increases the hourly minimum wage to $15 for federal contract employees beginning January 30, 2022, up from the current rate of $10.95 per hour. The rule also eliminates the exemption for federal contractors with disabilities to be paid less than the minimum wage.

Additionally, the rule eliminates the tipped minimum wage for federal contract employees by 2024, meaning federal contract employers will be required to pay the full minimum wage to employees – not counting tips – at restaurants and other businesses. The order also restores minimum wage protections to outfitters and guides operating on federal lands. 

The Department’s ruling can lead to future pay increases (starting January 1, 2023), which will be determined by the Secretary of Labor based on rates of price increases throughout the economy. (The rule continues to index the federal contractor minimum wage in future years to inflation.)

The rule also implements Executive Order 14026, signed by President Biden on April 27, 2021. “Executive Order 14026 states that the Federal Government’s procurement interests in economy and efficiency are promoted when the Federal Government contracts with sources that adequately compensate their workers. The Executive Order raises the minimum wage paid by those contractors to workers performing work on or in connection with covered federal contracts to $15.00 per hour.” The EO applies to all new federal contracts, as well as renewals and extensions of existing federal contracts in all 50 states, Washington, D.C. and specified territories.

In recent years – and especially in response to the COVID-19 Pandemic – many Americans have called for increased pay to support essential workers, maintain standards of living and improve the economy for traditionally marginalized populations, such as the BIPOC population (black, indigenous and people of color) and individuals with disabilities.

The goals of the wage increase are to raise worker productivity, reduce employee turnover and absenteeism, and decrease recruiting and training costs. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh stated that the adjustment to $15 per hour “improves the economic security of these workers and their families, many of whom are women and people of color” and “ensures that the federal government leads by example” in creating good jobs across the country.  

The U.S. Department of Labor estimates this new increase will provide a wage boost for hundreds of thousands of employees working under federal contracts, and annual pay increases of thousands of dollars for low wage federal contractors. It comes after movements in states and localities throughout the nation to increase the minimum wage.

The rule also clarifies that workers with disabilities whose wages are governed by special certificates issued under section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act (subminimum wages) must receive no less than $15 minimum wage for work on federal contracts, effective January 30, 2022. Section 14(c) does not apply unless the disability actually impairs the worker’s earning or productive capacity for the work being performed. The fact that a worker may have a disability is not in and of itself sufficient to warrant the payment of a subminimum wage.  

It should be noted that fourteen states have prohibited or are phasing out subminimum wages for employees with disabilities through legislation or executive order. In 2018, Alaska eliminated subminimum wages for workers with disabilities. Earlier this year, Hawaii repealed the “disability subminimum wage” for employees in the state. Minnesota recently established a task force on eliminating subminimum wages by August 2025.

Review these links for more information about the new minimum wage increase:

U.S. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh on The Federal Contractor Minimum WageSecretary Walsh stands with workers in Alabama to announce final rule to raise minimum wage to $15 for federal contract workersUS Department of Labor announces final rule to increase minimum wage for workers on federal contractsPresident Biden’s Executive Order on Increasing the Minimum Wage

Review these links for minimum wage guidance for workers with disabilities:

Employment of Workers with DisabilitiesSubminimum WageState Subminimum Wage Policy

Review these links for examples of states increasing their minimum wage:

D.C. Minimum Wage Increase24 U.S. States Will See a Minimum Wage Increase in 2021

Review these links for background information about minimum wage:

State Minimum Wage LawsHistory of U.S. Minimum Wage LawWage and Hour Division | U.S. Department of Labor

National Apprenticeship Week

By: Chip O’Connell

The seventh annual National Apprenticeship Week (NAW) takes place November 15-21, 2021. NAW is a nationwide celebration where industry, labor, workforce, education and government leaders host events to showcase the successes and value of Registered Apprenticeships for re-building our economy, advancing equity and supporting underserved communities.

Apprenticeships are employer-driven programs that provide hands-on technical training for individuals seeking new skills and employment. Training and instruction are tailored to help the apprentice master skills needed to succeed in a specific occupation. Apprenticeship is a high-quality career pathway, with 92% of apprentices retaining employment in their field and earning an average starting salary of $72,000. Employers utilize these programs to train new employees as well as reskill their existing employees to meet changing demands, resulting in a steady pool of qualified workers. These programs also benefit state governments by lowering unemployment rates and attracting new industries. The Job Corps website contains examples of apprenticeships from programs in industries ranging from automotive and machine repair to homeland security.

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has taken several steps to increase inclusion and accessibility in apprenticeship programs. According to DOL, between 2017 and 2019 the number of apprentices who identify as having a disability increased 550%.  Research shows that participation in apprenticeship programs produces a number of benefits for students with disabilities, including experience, employability skills and nationally recognized credentials. An apprenticeship can be a viable career pathway for more than 1.3 million young people with a disability between the ages of 16 and 24.

States are increasingly enacting policies engineered to increase the inclusion and engagement of youth with disabilities in apprenticeship programs. Below are a few examples:

New Jersey’s Youth Transition to Work (YTTW) Program provides multiple financial incentives for employers hiring youth apprentices, with an emphasis on targeted industries such as health care, information technology or public service.Louisiana’s Postsecondary Apprenticeship Pilot for Youth (PAY Check) is a three-to-five semester program that allows transition age youth with disabilities to take classes at Delgado Community College related to specific apprenticeship areas, participate in career development activities, learn community and work skills, and gain employment experience through a paid apprenticeship at the University Medical Center.Oregon’s Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Plan specifically outlines identified issues and how agencies can strategize to make apprenticeships more inclusive and useful in the state.

Apprenticeship programs are a proven way for individuals to discover exciting career pathways and for states to secure employment for their workforces. Be sure to check out National Apprenticeship Week events happening near you

Inclusive Community College Career Pathways: Work-Based Learning

This is the fifth of six installments in the series, “Inclusive Community College Career Pathways.” It discusses how the U.S. Department of Labor Pathways to Careers demonstration grants developed and provided work-based learning (WBL) experiences to prepare students with disabilities to join the workforce.

Work-based learning prepares youth with disabilities for work

Work-based learning (WBL) refers to real-world work experiences that allow youth and young adults to strengthen their employability skills. It can take many forms, including service learning, job shadowing, job tours, pre-apprenticeships, internships and summer jobs.

WBL plays a key role in preparing youth with disabilities to find and maintain work as adults. It can help them build their workplace confidence, identify and explore strengths and interests, develop hard and soft job skills, build their resumes and expand their professional networks. WBL experiences can even become full-time jobs.

WBL in the Pathways Projects

The U.S. Department of Labor Community College Pathways to Careers demonstration grants at Pellissippi State Community College in Tennessee and Onondaga Community College in New York provided various WBL experiences to help students with disabilities prepare for employment after college.

At Pellissippi State, students developed increasingly ambitious WBL goals in individualized student contracts. Staff supported students as they progressed from job shadowing to internships. Students also took progressively greater responsibility in arranging their WBL experiences so that by their third year they took the lead in finding their own internships with minimal assistance from project staff. By taking on greater responsibility arranging and engaging in WBL opportunities, students developed confidence and skills to find and maintain work after college.

Onondaga also provided several WBL experiences to students. The project held a job shadowing week and arranged a series of job site visits, informational interviews, internships and practicums. These opportunities were listed in a “student menu,” which students could use to identify and engage in WBL experiences that corresponded with their career goals.

Engaging employers

The two projects engaged and built strong networks with local employers to develop these WBL opportunities. They focused on developing WBL experiences that varied in intensity and scope and mapped to the majors, credentials and interests of their students. In addition, they collaborated with local employer networks as well as individual businesses and public-sector agencies to identify and develop WBL opportunities.

At Pellissippi State, business liaisons, career coaches and students reached out to businesses to develop and expand WBL opportunities. Pellissippi State worked with its local Employment Consortium to identify WBL opportunities and to educate businesses about hiring individuals with disabilities. The project also developed an employer toolkit to educate companies about disability etiquette and accommodations.

Onondaga engaged with the Central New York Employment Network to identify WBL partners. They focused on finding businesses across the nine industry tracks that students were pursuing and created a digital tool to organize this information. Onondaga also developed a brochure to educate employers about the advantages of hosting WBL experiences for students with disabilities.

Lessons learned

Onondaga and Pellissippi State encountered early challenges securing enough WBL opportunities and developed strategies to encourage more employers to host WBL experiences.

The project teams needed to take multiple approaches to engaging employers. Some businesses readily agreed to host WBL experiences for students, while other employers were more reluctant. Project staff learned to develop champions by first asking for small commitments (such as doing informational interviews with students) and eventually asking for bigger commitments (such as hosting interns).

The project teams further realized they yielded greater results by framing the initiative like other WBL programs, rather than as a disability-specific program. They focused on conveying the value of hiring credentialed, well-qualified candidates. This allowed students to disclose their disability if they chose and to practice asking for accommodations, if needed.

State examples

All states offer WBL experiences to youth with disabilities as a component of Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS), which state Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agencies are required to provide to students eligible or potentially eligible for VR services. Below are a few examples of state WBL programs offered in a college setting.

Florida’s Postsecondary Comprehensive Transition Program provides grants to help institutions develop “inclusive and experiential postsecondary education” opportunities for students with intellectual disabilities, which include internships, work-based learning and employment opportunities.Louisiana’s Postsecondary Apprenticeship for Youth (PAY Check) is a three- to five-semester program that allows students with disabilities to take classes at a community college and gain employment experience through paid internships or apprenticeships.Nebraska’s Certificate Programs allow students to take community college classes, tour businesses, and work part-time or participate in an internship with employer partners.

Previous Inclusive Community College Career Pathways Blogs:

OverviewAccessUniversal Design for LearningCOVID-19